Damn tease
by cryptnophilia
Summary: "I…like you here," I can barely hear him say as he plants a soft kiss on my forehead. "I like you here, here, and here." He kisses my eyelids, nose and—that damn tease—the corners of my mouth. AU. One-shot. Fluff.


**Damned tease**

 _ **Disclaimer: No I don't own Fairy Tail, let alone Natsu and Lucy. Hiro-sama is the rightful owner ;_;**_

 _ **A/N: I really didn't know where I was going with this… there wasn't a particular theme or anything; I started this fic on a whim and just went all out afterwards. I hope I didn't make them too ooc in here :/ So I apologize if there are factual errors about them too since I haven't been keen on keeping up with the fandom lol.**_

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"LUCY!" Natsu's voice boomed from my windowsill. Of course he's here. And of course Natsu has to come at an ungodly hour.

"I can hear you just fine, Natsu…" I muttered under my breath.

From the corner of my eyes I can see his stupid grin widen and proceeded to make himself at home, "Whatcha doin'?" He asked nonchalantly.

"What else would I be doing with a pencil in hand and a paper beneath?" I grunted, desperately ignoring his presence.

"Drawing, maybe? Ooh, if you are can you draw me? But—no offense—you don't draw as good as you write, Luce…" Natsu replied with a hearty laugh and huge smile.

I huffed loudly. I really can't afford to pay attention to him, no matter how tempting it is to look at his cute face and chat for the whole night. I have an essay that's due tomorrow—no, today! I glanced at my clock, which shined in bright menacing numbers: 2:32. Ah—mazing.

"Oh, hey!" I begrudgingly turned to his way, "You didn't shout at me for entering through your window! That's a first." He chirped as he marveled at the thought.

I gave a little smile and returned back to my writing, "It'd been no use anyway. You always find a way to enter my apartment without ever using the freakin' door." I said as I try to suppress the grin breaking across my face.

"Heh." Well shit, he noticed.

I tried coughing to shake off the playful feeling he impinged on me, but to no avail, he broke through my stone façade.

"Luuuucy~" He whined indignantly and planted his head on top of my shoulder. God, he is so cute…

"What do you want?" I grumbled looking away, crossing my fingers he won't notice the heat settling on my cheeks.

"Come on, talk to me." I jolted at the touch of his arms slithering around my waist.

"I am, stupid." I muttered as a slow smile begins to form on my face.

Natsu rested his chin on my head, "Just drink with me then."

"What?! No! It's two in the morning and we have classes—"

"No! No, not like that Luce," His chuckle vibrated throughout my head. "I brought us orange juice!" Natsu said cheerfully as he broke free from my waist.

I sighed in disappointed, craving for the heat of his arms around me again.

"Here," He handed me a juice box, "Take a break and lets talk," He gave me that damn smile and I knew I couldn't say no.

I sighed for the third time that night and sat down on the floor where Natsu beckoned me. But before I could permanently park my rear on the ground I swiftly took the papers I was working on along with a pencil. I heard Natsu groan behind me, "Deal with it," I replied.

"What are you writing anyway?" Natsu grumbled as he tried to take a peek at my writing.

"Atenthousandwordessay," I answered hastily while pressing the papers protectively against my chest.

I've been working on this for the whole month and practically used up all the time Mrs. Strauss has given us. From the start, this assignment was special to me, and I intend it to be the best work I had done so far.

"Ten _thousand_?!" Natsu exclaimed in an exaggerated tone, "Mrs. Strauss is really living up to her name, isn't she?" He mused.

I giggled in return, "The only time she acts like the evil incarnate is when you're— _Hey_! Natsu! Don't you _dare_ read them!" I stared at him in horror.

My papers were two feet away from my grasp and Natsu was already skimming through the pages without a worry in the world. Damn me and my short genes…

"Hmm… Hey is this romance?" I blushed profusely at his newfound knowledge of my papers.

"Yeah, and so what?" I retorted venomously, "It has nothing to do with you…"

Oh, how I lied.

It has absolutely everything to do about him. It's what makes the theme, the plot, the whole freakin' story! It's a romance story— _about_ him _._ Not only did I loosely base the protagonist's love interest on him, but also his characteristics, his traits and even his name: _Haru._

This is the scenario I feared would happen… No actually worse. I used to fear that he'd catch me ogling his bare abs that he so proudly presented to the world. Him wearing nothing more than a thin vest and baggy pants was pornographic to a woman's eyes (and some men ;))

But Mavis… this is different! This is solid proof that not even his dense mind can pass up as nothing.

I could easily dodge the terrors of being caught checking him out and reason that there was a fly on his vest, or otherwise.

But my writing… it was evidence. Evidence of my painfully long unrequited love towards this thickheaded asshole.

"…Haru?"

Oh god, please kill me now.

"I like him, he's such a badass."

Natsu hummed joyfully. It looks like he hadn't noticed…

I should've known he wouldn't find out even if I wrote 'I like you!' with bright neon markers on my forehead.

"That's weird," Natsu remarked, "Haru's so much like me…"

What

I ripped my work out of his hands in a rapid speed and dashed for my bathroom door.

Seconds later I heard Natsu's frantic footsteps coming towards me, "Lucy!" He banged on the door.

"Natsu go home!" I hissed in embarrassment.

"Open the door!" He growled, jerking the doorknob violently.

I grabbed hold of the doorknob in a frenzy and locked it, "Why should I?!" I retorted.

"Because…cause I want to read it!" Natsu confessed weakly.

What? What the hell? He never shows interest in reading. Let alone a rom-com novel. Hadn't he found out?

"Please..?" I hear him mumble through the door while I stood there in the midst of shock and confusion.

He hesitantly knocked on the door two times and waited for my response, "Luce?"

I unlocked the door cautiously and heard Natsu on the other side sigh in relief.

Poking my head out of the door and glanced at Natsu timidly. Slowly a shy smile adorned his face.

"I uh wanted to… read it more… okay?" Natsu scratched his head in embarrassment and pouted down on the floor.

I stared at him in awe and inspected him closer. His cheeks were tinted pink. Just like his hair. It was such a rare sight I couldn't help but stare a little longer than I should.

"Hey…"

"O-oh, um…" I stuttered clumsily.

I was in an awkward stance, half of my body hanging out of the door with a drunken look on my face. I look exactly like those drunk men I'd see in movies where they lust over the next girl in the bar. Fantastic.

I gathered whatever dignity I have left and stepped out of the bathroom. Oh my god… What am I doing?

"Okay..." I muttered, unsure of how to take in this situation. With the paper still in my hands, I slowly handed them to Natsu.

He gratefully grabbed them and swiftly sat down on his previous spot. He glanced at me timidly and beckoned me to sit with him like before. Swiftly, he hid his face among the papers and read my work silently.

It was past two in the morning. I was supposed to finish my essay. Instead here I am sitting next to the person I wrote about in my papers, reading the papers I wrote about him...

I sat throughout the uncomfortable silence and waited for him patiently. The silence was nerve wrecking and so were those glances he'd make between his readings. It was as if he was scaling my reaction. Not only was it irritating, but it also felt rude. He's practically reading a love letter addressed to him and his answer is to slowly torture the sender with mixed signals and uncomfortable glances.

"I-I like it…" He muttered after a long moment of silence.

I gawked at his confession. What is that supposed to mean? Did he just like the story? Or is he saying he likes me? Is Natsu even capable of reciprocating one's feelings?

"What?" was my witty reply.

Natsu fidgeted under my questioning eyes and gripped tightly at the corners of my papers.

I bit my lip at the sight. The atmosphere is so tense and awkward, it made breathing feel like an extensive labor job. I'd really appreciate it if Erza and Gray busted down my door about now…

I swallowed and took a shallow breathe, is it just me or is he getting closer?

"Natsu..?" I didn't even say his name; I breathed the words, like I'm exhaling him out.

"I like it…" Natsu said softly, inching forward. "I…like you"

 _What?_

I snapped back into reality and scooted away in a panic. _What? What?_

"I-I like your _writing_! Your writing!" Natsu waved his hand in dismissal.

No, no, no… I heard what I heard, and it was that _word. The word._ He said— _like_ —oh my god.

 _He likes me? Likes likes me?_ This is Natsu, he can't—he doesn't even know what it means!

"…Can you repeat that?" I asked cautiously.

"…I … I like your writing?" He answered doubtfully with a scratch on the head.

"No, no… the-the thing you said before—L-like? Was it?"

His eyes darted away from my questioning gaze and landed on the floor, "No…" He answered hesitantly while picking on the sticking fibers of my carpet.

Oh, how he lied.

Natsu is a straightforward guy. I can tell you for a fact that he would say the most blunt, obvious, stupidest thing without ever flinching and looking away. I would know, after eighteen years of looking after his ass, I would absolutely know when he is lying. And boy was he lying right now.

I inhaled a breath full of air and for once I have control of a situation, "You… You like me right?" I declared out with conviction—no _hope_.

It looked as if his face was set in fire as I scrutinized his every move. Oh my god, Natsu is red— _blushing_ — It was incredibly.

"UhheylookI'llseeyoutomorrowbye!" He stumbled on his words while making way for the window. Oh that sneaky son of a—

Before Natsu can make an exit, I swiftly grabbed his hand and pulled (at least tried to…) him towards me.

I embraced him tightly and felt him squirm in my arms. Him being so close to me didn't register in my mind as fast as his scent did. He smelled like… my laundry detergent?

"L-Lucy…" His voice wavered and looked at me in a face I've never seen.

At that moment, I shed off all the anxiety and the terror I held onto and just _let go_ —

"Natsu… You're a pain in the ass."

"W-what the hell—"

"You break in my apartment, eat all my food in my fridge and destroy everything you touch. " I grunted while holding onto him like my last lifeline.

"You can't sing. You can't dance. You're a lousy writer…" I laughed at that point as I got the pout from Natsu's face.

"But—"

"But—?" Natsu gazed down at me with a raised brow.

" _But_ —" I looked straight at him with unwavering determination, "I like you, asshole."

A pent up breath escaped my lips. Whether or not he says it back, I won't regret saying it.

I set my head against his chest, and heard his heartbeat beating faster than normal. I smiled.

"Take the hint, idiot." I whispered against him.

I gasped as I felt his arms slowly wrapping around my waist, "Why don't you take my hints…"

"Hints? What hints? You always tease me and steal my stuf— _oh_."

Oh my god… He's such an immature little— _how_ did I not notice? He has a mind of a sixth grader; of course he shows his "affection" the same way.

"You're such a kid…" I murmured, "How was I supposed to know?"

"And how was I supposed to know?" He grumbled, "You're either pissed when I'm around or happy _if_ I bring Happy with me…"

"… Did I really look pissed?"

"… Yeah."

"But, you know now that I…I like you right?"

"...Yeah."

"Will you say it back?"

I unwillingly pulled away from his chest and stared at him in hope, "Will you?"

He fidgeted under my gaze and looked away, "I uh like you…"

"I can't hear you," I teased him.

"What are you—" _Dora the explorer_ "?"

"Just say it,"

"I-I like you." He declared weakly. With shaky hands he pulled my face towards him.

I stared at him in awe. He's so different, very different than what he usually is. He's loud, rough, and _hot._ Not careful and soft… but he's still hot.

"I…like you here," I can barely hear him say as he plants a soft kiss on my forehead.

"I like you here, here, and here." He kisses my eyelids, nose and— _that damn tease_ —the corners of my mouth.

I felt myself shiver at his touch; it was so gentle, a contrast against his calloused fingers.

Right here, being held against his chest, oblivious to the cold, is the most satisfying thing in the world. All there is was our ragged breaths and beating hearts, and his sweaty palm interlocked in mine.

He held me tighter as my breath shook, "Luce," His voice dripped with affection that made my heart squeeze even tighter.

"Lucy, Lucy, Lucy…" Natsu whispered as if he didn't say it enough, I would cease to exist.

"I love you so damn much."

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 _ **A/N: I hope it wasn't too corny.**_

 _ **I know that 'Natsu discovering Lucy's hidden love stories' type of fanfic was already a thing before, but I really liked the concept and I guess I wanted to give it a go too. Please review and give me your honest opinion on this! Thanks!**_


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